Machine for cutting pottersj pins



(No Model.)

J. H". 'MOUNTPORD. MACHINE FOR CUTTING POTTERS PINS.

N0. 450 179. Patented Apr. 14', 1891.

. 1 1 a/% K'ORNEYS WITBESSES w g. I Ld .UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN H. MOUNTFORD, OF EAST LIVERPOOL, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING POTTERS PINS."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,179, dated A ril14, 1891. Application filed Aprill, 1890. n No. 346,589. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. MOUNTFORD, acit-izen of the United States,and a resident of East Liverpool, county of Columbiana, and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forOutting Potters Pins, of which the following is a specification, theprinciple of the invention being herein explained and the best mode inwhich I have contemplated applying that principle so as to distinguishit from other inventions.

My invention relates to machines for making so-called potters pins, andit consists in'the improved construction and combination or arrangementof parts hereinafter fully disclosed in thedescription,drawings, andclaims.

The objects of my invention are to provide improved means for cuttingpotters pins from wads of partly-dried clay in equal lengths; to provideimproved means for admitting of the cutters yielding to obstruct-ions inthe wads; to provide improved supports for the wads, and to provideimproved means for making the cutter-bearing shaft and cuttersinterchangeable,

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of myimproved machine for cutting potters pins; Fig. 2, a top plan view ofthe same; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section on the line 3 4, Fig. 2, andshowing the wad-holding arms raised; Fig. 4, a similar view on thesame-line, showing the wad-holding arms lowered in place; Fig. 5, aperspective view of one of the end pieces of the cutter frame orcarriage, and Fig. 6 a longitudinal section of the same. In saiddrawings, the letters A A indicate the side sills of the machine-frame,and B B the end sills of said frame, which is suitably supported uponlegs or similar supports 0. The upper sides of said side sills A haveguide-rails a secured upon them, and cleats a are secured to the innerfaces of said sills and serve as supports for the wad-board D, uponwhich the partly-dried clay-wads are placed to be cut. The upper face ofsaid wad-boardD has longitudinal grooves 61 at distances from each otherequal to the lengths to which the pins are to be cut.

Two arms E are pivoted upon the inner faces of the side sills, near theend of the same,

upon pins or bolts 6, and have open slots 6' in their free ends.Wad-holding arms F are pivoted with pins f in said open slots, and maybe swung over the ends of the wad-board and of the wads on the same.

An open cutter frame or carriage G has guide-blocks g upon the underside of its end pieces g and slides upon the guide-rails a. with saidguide-blocks. Each of said end pieces 9 is formed with a vertical recess9 open at the inner face of the end piece near the lower edge of thesame. Abearing-block H, having an open hearing or notch h in its underside, slides in said recess and has a spring I ,the upper end of whichis confined by a strap J, bearing against its upper end. A latch-plate gcloses the lower end of said recess, and is pivoted at one end upon apinor bolt 9* and has an open slot or notch g at its other end, with whichit may slide over a stud g and thus be held in place.

The cutter-shaft K is j ournaled with its ends in said upwardly-yieldingbearings and has the circular cutters 76 secured upon it and suitablyspaced by washers or similar means. The spaces between the cutters k andbetween the grooves din the wad-boards are of the same width, so thatsaid cutters may travel in said grooves.

In practice the wad-holding arms are tilted up, as shown in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings, the wad-board, with its wads L of partly-dried clay uponit, is placed in position with its ends resting upon the cleats a, andthe wad-holding arms are tilted down over the ends of the clay-wads. Thecutter-frame is then drawn from one end of the machine-frame to theother across the wads, which thereby are cut into equal lengths. Thewad-board, with its cut wads, is removed, and the operation may berepeated.

WVhen wads of a different length are to 'be IOC The wad-holding arms canadapt themselves to wads of various thicknesses, as they have pivotaland sliding bearings in the pivoted arms E.

The shaft may yield upward on account of its spring-bearings, so that apebble or other hard body in the wads will not injure the edge of thecutter which may strike it, but will simply force the shaft upward andallow the cutter to roll over the obstacle.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings set forth in detailmechanism embodying my invent-ion. Changes may be made therein, providedthe principles of construction respectively recited in the followingclaims are employed.

I therefore particularly point out and dis tinctly claim as myinvention 1. In a machine for cutting potter-s pins, the combination ofa frame formed with longitudinal guides, a carriage sliding in saidguides, and a cutter-shaft journaled upwardly yielding in said carriage,substantially as described.

2. In a machine for cutting potters pins, the combination of a frameformed with longitudinal guides, a carriage sliding in said guides,vertically-sliding spring-cushioned bearings in the ends of saidcarriage, and a cutter-shaft journaled in said bearings, substantiallyas described.

3. In a machine for cutting potters pins, the combination of a frameformed with longitudinal guide-rails, a Wad-supporting boardtransversely supported in. said frame and formed with longitudinalgrooves in its upper face, a carriage sliding upon said guide rails andformed with upwardly yielding spring-cushioned bearings, and a shaftjournaled in said bearings and provided with cut ters spaced to registerWith and travel in the grooves of said board, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a machine for cutting potters pins, the combination of a frame,awad-supporting board transversely supported in said frame, two armspivoted at their ends upon the side sills of said frame and having openslots in their other ends, and wad-holding arms pivoted in said openslots, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for cutting potters pins, the combination of a frameprovided with guide-rails upon the upper faces of its side sills andwith cleats upon the inner faces of the same, a Wad-board supported uponsaid cleats and having longitudinal grooves in its face, arms pivotedupon the inner faces of the side sills and formed with open slots intheir ends, wad-holding arms pivoted in said slots, a cutter-framesliding upon the guide-rails, and a cutter-shaft journaled upwardlyyielding in saidframe and provided with cutters registering with thegrooves in the wad-board, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim theforegoing to be my invention I havehereunto set my hand this 19th day of March, 'A. D. 1890.

JOHN H. MOUNTFORD.

Witnesses:

JoHN ROWE, WM. RANSOM.

